topoon

What's this trekking like anyway? Well, around 5:30AM the cook and the cook helpers get up to start breakfast. At 6:30 AM every morning, they come by the tent with chia (tea), tadapani (hot water-for instant coffee) or tada dude (hot milk-for hot chocolate). In this picture Ann and I are clearly just thrilled to get up at 6:30 to start the day! I need another cup of coffee.

We now start to climb out of the lowlands to 9600 feet on the way to the famous 'Poon Hill' where the view are panoramic and magnificent. On the way we see many interesting people and sites.

Women resting on the trail after unloading their baskets. The resting place which they are sitting upon is typically made by a family as a tribute to a parent who has passed away. This tribute serves a great purpose in both a remembrance (there usually is a plaque in dedication) as well as a resting place for weary travelers. Yes, I have been known to sit and rest on these too!

This was pretty interesting. Nepal is (was) largely forest. Trees are cut down and then into manageable pieces (about 8 feet long and 3 feet thick) as seen here. Then a cutting scaffold is built on the side of a little hill.. The log is rolled off the hill top and onto the scaffold. Then begins the task of cutting. You can see the top guy holding a very long saw. It goes through the tree and down to the fellow below the log. Together they get a rhythm and start sawing away. In this way planks are made. It's a long and dangerous job. Both men are barefoot. The log must weigh at least 800 pounds. If the scaffold breaks the guy on the bottom may be killed or crippled. If you would like to see a closeup of the top cutter click on the image.